Ancient Judaism and Modern Category Formation: "Judaism," "Midrash," "Messianism" and Canon in the Past Quarter-Century Book

Argues that the sole useful categories for the analysis of the Torah derive from the Torah, the canon of the religion under study in this book. The author investigates the categories that commonly serve for the description, analysis and interpretation of ancient Judaism and the principles that form those categories. He asserts that none of those categories constitute social constructs, thus violating the inner composition of the data they are employed to classify. The book concludes with a proposed principle of category formation: Judaism's canon. Co-published with Studies in Judaism.

Author Biography: Jacob Neusner is Research Professor of Religion and Theology Bard College Annandale-on-Hudson, NY.